10 easy stretches to get more flexible!

For ballet (and other dance forms) flexibility and strength are the two keys to success.
Let's talk about flexibility.

Before stretching make sure your muscles are warmed up properly! Just a few plies won't be enough.

After your muscles are warm you can start your stretching routing:

Hold every stretch for about 30 seconds at least! Hold them up to 2 minutes but don't hurt yourself. You'll know when it's enough.
Repeat the stretches about 3-5 times with little breaks in between. Just don't make the breaks too long because otherwise your muscles are going to get cooler again and you could hurt yourself!

1) 

Basically you just have to sit on the floor and lean forward. The goal is that your nose touches your legs.

For this stretch you really have to make sure that your back stays straight! You can either point your feet (which is easier) of flex your feet (which will have a better effect but is harder to do).
Grap your feet and pull yourself forward even a bit further but keep your back straight.

2)

This is the same stretch as number 1).
The only difference is that you are standing which means your feet are flexed.
Try to keep your legs as straight as possible, your knees pulled up.

Also try to keep your back as straight as possible.

3)

Lie on your back, grab one leg and pull it as close to your body as possible.
Keep your back straight.

The goal is to let your toes touch the floor. Don't get upset if it doesn't work the first time and do not cheat by rounding your back!

4)

For this stretch you're supposed to lie on your side, feet turned out.
Grab your leg and try to pull it down to the floor behind your shoulder.

5) before you do the splits.

Lunge forward, your leg and the floor should be a right angle.

To get a better effect hold your arms up in the air to have more weight to push you down.

6)

Now straighten your front leg and bend forward. Your back leg is bend now and should be a right angle.

And again: make sure your back is straight!

7)

For the next stretch you have to lie on your back, grab your two feet and pull them down on the sides of your body until they touch the floor (or at least as far as you can pull them down).

Don't forget that your back has to be straight!

8)

Stand straight, grab your knee and pull it up.
Your leg has to be straight.
Bend a little forward while doing this stretch.

To improve your arabesque penchee just try to hold this with your back muscles and hold onto something in front of you with both hands.

9)

This is basically the same stretch as the last one but you're not supposed to lean forward which means you are in an arabesque position.

To improve your arabesque again try to hold the position with your back muscles!

And finally 10) splits!

Back leg turned out, front leg straight and just slowly slide down to your splits.

If you can sit in your splits easily, add hight by adding a book or two - or even more - under your front or back leg, or under both.
Stretching your oversplits improves your "normal" splits a lot!

Pirouette talk!

Pirouettes. The perfect pirouette is something most dancers dream of.

First: The basics

A pirouette can be performed either en dehors, which means turning away from the supporting leg, or en dedans, which means turning toward the supporting leg.

Usually you start a pirouette in fourth and fifth and sometimes in second position.

Let's go a bit more into detail: legs and arms (starting in fourth position)

Your legs should be in fourth position, totally straight. As always make sure you turn out your legs from your hips and not your knees!

For pirouettes en dehors:

If your left leg is in the front your arms should be in third position, right arm in the front. If your left leg is in the back your arms are in third position, left arm in the front.

TIP: Try to keep your shoulders down at all times because your shoulders give your arms the sturdiness you need to balance your whole body when you turn.


Then plie (both legs). Don't put your whole weight on one foot, keep it balanced on both.
Find your spot on eye level to fix when you're turning.
You should feel your heels pressing strongly against the floor. This will give you the energy to turn.
Now you're ready to push up on demi pointe/pointe, keeping your supporting leg (the leg that stays on the floor) strong and still pressing against the floor.

TIP: Imagine someone is pulling you up on a string so your body is totally straight. Your stomach is sucked in and your shoulders are pulled down. At the same time you have to feel like your working leg is heavy as an elephants leg, pressing against the floor with all of your strength. 
You have to feel like you are growing while you're turning.

Your working leg has to be in a retire position. Pull the leg up in this position as fast as possible.
You can either put your working leg in front, behind or directly at your knee.
As soon as your working leg comes off the floor it HAS to be pointed!

TIP: Holding your turnout is easiest if your working leg is in front of your knee.


During the turn your arms are in first position!

It is really important to find your centre while turning and to hold it tightly.
To find that centre you have to engage your abdominals. And don't forget on your shoulders, butt and turn out muscles.
ALWAYS remember to keep your chin up!

Especially if you do multiple pirouettes spotting is the key to success.
Your head has to turn before your body does to create momentum and avoid dizziness.

Pirouettes en dedans:

Basically your starting position is the same BUT your arms will be different: If your left leg is in the front your left arm will be in the front as well. Same for right leg and right arm.

Plie again, pulling up your working leg in retire and your arms up in fifth position.

Last but not least: Finishing those pirouettes

Finishing pirouettes is as important as beginning them as the finish completes the movement.

Gracefully finish the pirouette either in fourth or fifth position.

There are several different positions of arms that are appropriate for the finish.

(quickly) Introducing myself

Hi,

 my name is Maggie and I'm a tall (ballet) dancer from Austria.

I've only started dancing a little less than 2 years ago but I'm training every single day to get better as fast as possible. 

I am on pointe since the beginning of this year which means I have to work even more on my technique.

Starting with September I'm going to step up my training and am going to go to a new more professional studio. I'll probably dance about 7-8 hours a week there. 

I'm going to blog about things that/people who inspire me, ballet progress and tips and tricks I found to get better.